U.S. patent application number 10/471767 was filed with the patent office on 2006-09-14 for method and device for attaching support sections for rubber seals to automobile body parts and corresponding support section.
Invention is credited to Ralf Bickel, Ralf Sehr.
Application Number | 20060201622 10/471767 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26008920 |
Filed Date | 2006-09-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060201622 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sehr; Ralf ; et al. |
September 14, 2006 |
Method and device for attaching support sections for rubber seals
to automobile body parts and corresponding support section
Abstract
Methods, devices and support profiles are configured to match
the method and device in profiles used to attach a support section
for rubber seals to automobile body parts in the shortest possible
time with the minimum of tools and personnel. The methods and
devices are adaptable in such a way that modifications to the
geometry of the sealing section and to the contours of the body
parts are accommodated without long stoppages of the assembly line.
The support sections and connecting regions mold to all the
contours of automobile bodyworks, in particular corner regions, and
permit the attachment of various sealing regions and application of
extreme detachment forces. The support section for the sealing
section is attached to the support surface in one single operation.
The sub-steps of said operation are carried out by an industrial
robot. Adhesive is applied to the support section during its
production.
Inventors: |
Sehr; Ralf; (Losheim am See,
DE) ; Bickel; Ralf; (Beckingen, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
James C Wray
1493 Chain Bridge Road
Suite 300
McLean
VA
22101
US
|
Family ID: |
26008920 |
Appl. No.: |
10/471767 |
Filed: |
March 26, 2002 |
PCT Filed: |
March 26, 2002 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/DE02/01102 |
371 Date: |
April 2, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
156/324 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C 65/4835 20130101;
B29C 65/52 20130101; B23P 19/047 20130101; B60J 10/45 20160201;
B29C 65/48 20130101; B29C 66/47 20130101; B29C 66/4722 20130101;
B29C 66/863 20130101; B29C 66/474 20130101; B29C 66/1122 20130101;
B29C 65/58 20130101; B29C 66/71 20130101; B60J 10/34 20160201; B29C
66/71 20130101; B29C 65/4845 20130101; B29C 66/863 20130101; B29L
2031/26 20130101; B29K 2021/00 20130101; B29C 65/00 20130101; B60J
10/80 20160201 |
Class at
Publication: |
156/324 |
International
Class: |
C09J 5/00 20060101
C09J005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 27, 2001 |
DE |
101 15 091.1 |
Aug 29, 2001 |
DE |
101 42 288.1 |
Claims
1. Method for positioning support sections (1) for rubber seals
(11) on support surfaces (4), such as, for example, door bodies and
trunk seals of automobiles using an application apparatus (3) in
the form of an industrial robot which follows the contour of the
support surface (4), whereby the support section (1) is pulled out
of a drum-like storage device (2) by the application apparatus (3),
guided by the application apparatus using guide rollers (5) after
leaving the storage device (2), cut after attaining its final
length by a path-controlled cutting unit (6) in the application
apparatus (3) and pressed by the application apparatus (3) upon the
support surface (4) using pressing and guide rollers (8), wherein
the support section (1) is brought into adhering connection to the
support surface (4) by the application device (3).
2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the application apparatus
(3) applies the adhesive system to the support surface (4) using a
coat of adhesive (7).
3. Device for positioning support sections (1) for rubber seals
(11) on support surfaces (4), such as, for example, door bodies and
trunk seals of automobiles, consisting of a storage unit (2) on
which the support section (1) is rolled up, of an application
apparatus (3) which includes at least 2 guide rollers (5), a
path-controlled cutting unit (6) as well as at least one pressing
and guide roller (8), wherein the application apparatus (3) is
constructed with a coat of adhesive (7).
4. Self-adherent support section (9) for sealing sections (11) on
support surfaces (4), such as, for example, door bodies and trunk
seals of automobiles, wherein a gutter-like groove is hollowed out
on the side which is to be joined with the support surface into
which an adhesive system (12) is applied already during the
manufacture of the self-adherent support section whose adhesive
action is nonetheless first set into motion upon positioning the
self-adherent support section on the support surface.
5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the application apparatus
(3) sets the adhesive action of the adhesive system (12) into
motion on the self-adherent support section (9) using an activation
unit (10).
6. Device for applying self-adherent support sections (9) for
rubber seals (11) on support surfaces (4), such as, for example,
door bodies and trunk seals of automobiles, consisting of a storage
device (2) on which the self-adherent support section (9) is rolled
up, and of an application apparatus (3) which includes at least 2
guide rollers (5), a path-controlled cutting unit (6) as well as at
least one pressing and guide roller (8), wherein the application
apparatus (3) is constructed with an activation unit (10).
7. Support section (1) and connection region (13) for fastening
sealing sections (11) to support surfaces (4) of automobile bodies,
wherein the support section (1) is constructed in the form of a
long, straight line segment (15) which is positioned on the support
surface (4) using an adhesive system (12) and which runs somewhat
parallel to the support surface (4) of the automobile body in the
region of the adhesive surface, wherein the support section (1) has
a retention peg (16) which points in the direction of the sealing
section (11) and ends in a trapezoidal slip-fit flange (17),
wherein the connection region (13) is constructed C-shaped and
embraces the trapezoidal slip-fit flange (17) form-locking, wherein
the connection region (13) is connected with the sealing region
(140 of the sealing section (11).
8. Support section (1) according to claim 8, wherein the end of the
segment (15) which lies opposite the retention peg (16) is
constructed as a lip (18) which points toward the support surface
(4) of the automobile body.
9. Support section (1) according to claim 8, wherein the surface of
the segment (15) pointing toward the support surface (4) of the
automobile body has an adhesive system (12) which was already
applies at the manufacturer.
Description
[0001] The present invention concerns methods and devices for
attaching support sections for rubber seals to automobile body
parts as well as self-adherent support sections which are
particularly suited for attachment using these methods and devices.
Furthermore, the invention includes a connection region which is
allocated to one of these support sections and by means of which
the sealing region of the rubber seal is inserted onto the support
section.
[0002] In manufacturing automobiles, not attaching seals which
protect the passenger interior space or the trunk in the region of
doors and trunk seals from moisture penetrating directly to the
supporting surface, thus to the sheet metal part, namely the door
or the trunk seal, but rather first fastening the support section
on the support surface and then installing the sealing section
thereupon is to be viewed as advantageous.
[0003] Sealing sections on doors and trunk seals are subject to
wear and tear or can lose their function through damage. For this
reason, it is important that the sealing sections can be changed
without great expense and without damaging the support surface.
Therefore, it is advantageous to position the sealing section on a
support section and to join the support section fast with the
support surface, for example the door body, for example by gluing.
Normally only the sealing section will fail and the support section
can be further used. The sealing section can then be removed from
the support section and be replaced by a new one. The support
surface is not damaged by this process, and no special tools,
adhesives or other expensive technologies are needed for exchange
of the sealing section.
[0004] Moreover, a support section can be used for positioning
various types of seal shapes or seal sizes. In changing or in
variants of the automobile model which are associated with a change
in the form or length of the sealing section, the same support
section and the same connection area can still be used in certain
limits. It is possible to react to different shaped or different
size slits which are to be sealed off by adapting the size of the
sealing region of the sealing section while retaining the
connection region and the support section.
[0005] These advantages particularly come to bear when the support
section and the sealing section can be used as yard good, since the
required length can then be very rapidly attained by simple
cutting.
[0006] Such an arrangement for a movable connection of at least two
subassemblies using plug connections, for example for joining a
sealing section with a motor vehicle body, is known from DE
19808044 C2. Preferably here the floor subassembly (3) is fastened
on the first subassembly (2) by tip-stretching. The tip-stretching
can take place using a suitable casting technique.
[0007] Furthermore, DE 19802203 A1 describes a method for
manufacturing a connection of a subassembly with a component. Here
an intermediate holder of hardened casting compound is introduced
between subassembly (2) and component (1). In this way, a
detachable connection between component and subassembly is produced
through the intermediate holder. To reinforce this connection, the
intermediate holder can be cemented to the component since the
casting compound is placed in a coat of adhesive. A retaining
apparatus serves to fix the subassembly in place which fixes the
position of the subassembly and component in place until the
casting compound introduced between subassembly and component
hardens to an intermediate support connecting these elements with
each other.
[0008] DE 19714242 A1 describes a similar method. Here an adhesive
is applied to the first subassembly. A connection element is placed
upon this, and thereupon a second subassembly is installed,
preferably clipped on. According to a further refinement of the
invention, casting compound can be put into the first subassembly
through perforations. The casting compound should embrace or reach
behind the profiling of the connection piece so that in this way
the connection element is held fast on the first subassembly. In
industrial use, the connection piece is inserted into a retaining
device and pressed against the connection region provided with a
glue and held so long after administering the casting compound
until the casting compound is hardened.
[0009] The use of a casting compound to be applied in the form of a
liquid during assembly nonetheless leads to the hollow space into
which the casting compound is to be introduced, for example the
space between door body and sealing, having to be sealed against an
undesired exit of casting compound which is associated with a great
expense. On the other hand, openings must be created in the door
body, for example in the form of bore holes, through which the
casting compound can be introduced into the hollow space. These
bore holes nonetheless reduce the strength of the carriage, are
susceptible to corrosion, and the manufacture of the bore holes
represents an additional operation in assembling the
automobile.
[0010] DE 3808443 A1 describes a process and a device for
implementing the method with which final contours can be applied
fully automatically to support elements, especially to motor
vehicle doors. The final seal is readied on a retaining device. The
robot accommodates the door in a magazine and moves it to the
retaining device. Here first one end of the seal is glued on the
fastening surface of the door. Thereupon the robot moves the door
with the sealing to a pressing device. The complete seal is now
fastened on the fastening surface by rolling the door and pressing
the seal. Gluing the seal in accordance with this method requires
much equipment: Industrial robots with grasping apparatus and a
subassembly place consisting of a retaining device, pressing
apparatus, positioning apparatus and gluing station. The number and
the interplay of these devices bring about an extremely complicated
and time-consuming sequence subject to disturbances. Many of the
devices used here, for example the retaining device, are adapted to
the shape of the seal to be applied. If the shape of the seal
changes, these parts must likewise be altered.
[0011] The use of retaining apparatus or retaining devices leads to
further disadvantages. The retaining device adjusted to the seal or
support section and especially to the contour of the door. Changes
in shape of these parts therefore lead to an inability to use the
retaining device any more. It must be adapted to the new shape. One
therefore also needs an independently designed retaining device for
each model variant. High investment costs as well as high equipment
expenditures in converting between different model variants is the
consequence.
[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,354 describes a method for using a robot
to apply a seal (10) to a flange (12 or 13) which runs around the
opening of an automobile body (8), The seal is pulled out of a
storage device (20) and pressed upon the flange beginning with a
starting position. After reaching an end position, the robot
conducts the seal to a cutting apparatus (58) which cuts off the
seal such that the ends of the strand are adjacent to each other. A
joining compound can be applied to the end of the sealing strand
using the cutting apparatus or another apparatus.
[0013] Proceeding from this, the basis of the invention is the
objective of developing a device, a method as well as support
sections and connection regions adapted to the method and the
device with the aid of which applying a support section for sealing
contours to automobile body parts succeeds in the shortest time
possible with low expenditure of tools and personnel. Furthermore,
the method and the device should be adaptable such that it is
possible to react to changes in the shape of the rubber seal and
especially in the contour of the body parts without long stoppages
of the assembly lines. The support sections and connection regions
must be able to follow the course of the automobile body on doors
and trunk seals even in corner regions, and must make possible
applying different sealing regions and high withdrawal forces.
[0014] The objective is accomplished in that applying the support
section to the support surface takes place consisting of one
operation of a rapid sequence of sub-steps staggered temporally
only shortly in relation to one another. The sub-steps are
conducted by an industrial robot. The motions of the robot are
programmed following the geometrical contour of the support
surface, thus of the door body or the trunk seal. Upon changing or
varying the automobile model, it is possible to react
correspondingly by reprogramming the motions of the robot rapidly,
that is without longer interruptions of production and without
extensive change of the assembly tools, and in this way without
great costs. After positioning the support section, the seal
section proper can be installed.
[0015] The support sections and the connection regions are suitable
for applying various types of sealing regions onto an automobile
body, be it a tube-like sealing region of soft rubber or a lip seal
as represented in FIG. 4. The sealing region can consequently be
adapted to various uses as a function of slit width and shape while
retaining the support section and connection region.
[0016] In an advantageous refinement of the invention, the support
section is provided with an adhesive system already during its
manufacture. The adhesive system is first applied immediately
before applying the support section to the support surface using an
activation unit for action. Triggering the reaction of the adhesive
system can take place by administering ultraviolet or infrared
radiation, for example. This method has the advantage that during
assembly, where it is of considerable significance to save time and
to have as few disturbances as possible in the sequence of the
method. no adhesive system need be applied.
[0017] The invention is represented on the basis of two embodiments
for method and device in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIGS. 3 and 4 show
respectively a support section with a sealing section. Method,
device, support sections and connection regions are described below
with reference to the Figures.
[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a method and a device by means of which
the adhesive system is applied directly before positioning the
support section 1 onto support surface 4. The support section is
rolled up on a drum-like storage device 2. The support section is
withdrawn from the storage device by a movable application
apparatus 3 and glued on a support section 4, for example a door
body or a trunk seal. The motions of the application apparatus are
programmed following the contour of the support surface. The
application apparatus, constructed as an industrial robot, consists
of guide rollers 5 which guide the support section after emerging
from the storage device following the motions of the application
apparatus, a path-controlled cutting unit 6 by means of which the
support section is cut after reaching a final length, for example
after applying the support section over the complete periphery of a
door, a coat of adhesive 7 by means of which the adhesive system is
applied to the support surface and pressing and guide rollers 8
which guide the support section and press it into the adhesive
system.
[0019] FIG. 2 shows a method and a device by means of which a
self-adhering support section 9 is positioned on a support surface.
The difference from the process or device described in FIG. 1
consists in that the support section 9 rolled up on the storage
device 2 was already provided with an adhesive system when
manufactured. The application apparatus 3 likewise contains guide
rollers 5, a path-controlled cutting unit 6 as well as pressing and
guide rollers 8. This application unit is rather provided with an
activation unit 10 instead of a coat of adhesive. This brings the
reaction of the adhesive system on the side of the support section
facing the support surface into motion in that it administers
ultraviolet or infrared radiation or pressure, for example, before
the support section is pressed upon the support surface 4 by the
pressing and guide rollers.
[0020] FIG. 3 illustrates a self-adherent support section 9 with
installed sealing section 11 which can be especially advantageously
applied to a support surface according to the method represented in
FIG. 2 or with the device represented in FIG. 2. The geometrical
shape of the support section was selected to be able to position
the sealing section simply on the support section and to be able to
detach it from the latter. A gutter-like groove is worked into the
support section on the side facing the support surface into which
the adhesive system 12 was already applied during manufacture.
[0021] FIG. 4 illustrates a support section 1 with a sealing
section 11 which is divided into a connection region 13 and a
sealing region 14. In this example, the sealing region is
constructed tube-like consisting of soft rubber. In other
applications of the invention, however, it can also be constructed
as a lip seal or in another shape adapted to the application. In
the tube-like construction, the diameter of the sealing region can
be selected as a function of the size of the slit to be sealed off.
The sealing region occupies a much greater space in the application
selected in relation to the connection region joined, for example,
glued with it, so that the space to be sealed off is filled up as
best as possible.
[0022] Therefore, the seal is also made of soft rubber in the
application, while the connection region of the sealing section and
the support section are made of a harder material. Moreover, the
material of the connection region and support section are, however,
to be selected such that both subassemblies can flexibly follow the
course of the automobile body even into corner regions.
Furthermore, the material of which the support section is made must
be adhesive-friendly and be resistant in the reaction with the
adhesive system.
[0023] The support section can already be provided with an adhesive
in the manufacturer's factory, thus be self-adherent, or the
adhesive system can first be applied before positioning the support
section on the support surface.
[0024] The support section 1 is constructed with a long, straight
line segment 15 which runs in the region of the adhesion surface
approximately parallel to the support surface 4 of the automobile
body. The long, straight line form of the segment is chosen as a
function of the width of the supporting surface in order to make
available as large a surface as possible for the adhesion system 12
and in this way to attain as high a withdrawal force of the support
section 1 on the support surface 4 possible.
[0025] Furthermore, the support section 1 is constructed with a
retention peg 16 which points perpendicular to the segment 15 in
the direction of the sealing section 11. The retention peg 16 ends
in a trapezoidal slip-fit flange.
[0026] The connection region 13 of the sealing section 11 is
positioned on the trapezoidal slip-fit flange 17 of the support
section 1 and creates a form-locking connection owing to its
C-shaped form which guarantees a high withdrawal force between
connection region 13 and therewith the sealing section 11 and the
support section 11 in interplay with a suitably hard but flexible
material, such as, for example, hard rubber.
[0027] As an advantageous construction of the invention, the
segment 15 of the support section 1 on the side opposite the
retention peg 16 is constructed with a lip which points toward the
support surface 4 of the automobile body and optically covers over
the adhesive system 12 toward the vehicle interior.
REFERENCE NUMBER LIST
[0028] 1 Support section [0029] 2 Storage device [0030] 3
Application apparatus [0031] 4 Support surface [0032] 5 Guide
rollers [0033] 6 Cutting unit [0034] 7 Coat of adhesive [0035] 8
Pressing and guide rollers [0036] 9 Self-adherent support section
[0037] 10 Activation unit [0038] 11 Sealing section [0039] 12
Adhesive system [0040] 13 Connection region [0041] 14 Sealing
region [0042] 15 Segment [0043] 16 Retention pin [0044] 17 Slip-fit
flange [0045] 18 Lip [0046] 19 Vehicle interior
* * * * *